Full Breakdown
Meerut Courts Hand Down Death Penalties in Two High-Profile Spousal Murder Cases
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Sentencing Overview
- October 16 2026 – Additional District and Sessions Judge Jaiveer Singh Nagar sentenced Ravita Kashyap and Amardeep to death for the murder of Amit Kashyap.
- October 14 2026 – District Judge Arvind Kumar Mishra sentenced Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla to death for the murder of Saurabh Rajput.
Background & Context
- Snake-bite staging – Amit Kashyap was found with a live snake; a post-mortem showed strangulation and that the snake’s venom sac had been removed, indicating a staged accident.
- Blue-drum staging – Saurabh Rajput’s body was concealed in a blue plastic drum filled with cement after he was allegedly sedated, stabbed and dismembered.
Key Figures
- Ravita Kashyap – wife of Amit Kashyap, accused of conspiracy and murder.
- Amardeep – neighbour and lover of Ravita, co-accused.
- Muskan Rastogi – wife of Saurabh Rajput, accused of murder and evidence destruction.
- Sahil Shukla – lover of Muskan, co-accused.
Timeline
- April 13 2025 – Amit Kashyap found dead with a live snake.
- October 7 2026 – Ravita and Amardeep convicted.
- October 16 2026 – Death penalty pronounced for Ravita and Amardeep.
- March 3 2025 – Muskan allegedly laced Rajput’s food with sedatives.
- March 17 2025 – Blue drum opened; Rajput’s remains recovered.
- September 30 2026 – Muskan and Sahil convicted.
- October 14 2026 – Death penalty pronounced for Muskan and Sahil.
Data & Statistics
- Both cases were tried in Meerut district courts with the accused appearing via video-conferencing.
- The snake case post-mortem identified neck and nose injury marks and removal of the venom sac.
- The blue-drum case involved a 1,000-page chargesheet filed on May 12 2025 and testimony from 22 witnesses over 126 hearings.
Official Statements & Responses
- Government counsel KK Chaubey (blue-drum case) invoked the “rarest of rare” doctrine, arguing that the pre-meditated, brutal nature of the crime warranted capital punishment.
- The judgments cited Manusmriti in the snake case and the Mahabharata in the blue-drum case to frame the death penalty as a societal deterrent.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Ravita has violated the ideals of Savitri through her actions. The honourable court has sentenced the accused to death. An order has also been issued to ensure that her children’s education and other needs are taken care of with dignity.” — Farzana Masood
- “The court has also imposed fines of INR50,000 under Section 302 and INR20,000 under Section 238A,” — Advocate Krishan Kumar Dubey
What’s Next
- Both death sentences must be confirmed by the Allahabad High Court; the convicts retain the right to appeal to the Supreme Court.
- The courts have ordered continued educational support for the children of the convicted women.